This document provides information about the Higher Modern Studies course in Scotland. It outlines the course content, which is divided into three subject areas: political issues in Scotland and the UK, social issues in the UK, and international issues focusing on poverty. It describes the skills developed in the course, such as writing extended responses and conclusions. Students must pass internal assessments, an added value assignment, and an external exam to complete the course successfully. The document provides examples of PEEL and PEEREEL paragraphs for analyzing issues, and explains how to structure extended response answers for the exam.

1. Higher Modern Studies
(National 6)
The New Higher Modern Studies Course
is designed to allow progression.
This allows Higher Students to
consolidate and further develop the Skills
and Knowledge acquired at National 5.

2. Higher Course Content
The Higher Course is divided into 3 subject
areas:
POLITICAL ISSUES Democracy in Scotland
and the UK
SOCIAL ISSUES Social Inequality in the
UK
INTERNATIONAL ISSUES World Issue - Poverty

3. Higher Modern Studies Skills
The Skills which will be further developed
during the Higher Course are:-
• Writing Extended Responses (K&U)
• Conclusions Questions
• Decision Making Questions
• Objectivity (Support/Oppose) Questions
• Report Writing

4. Course Requirements
To successfully achieve a Higher Modern
Studies Qualification students are required to:-
• Pass 3 Internal Unit Assessments each
incorporating Extended Response Questions
and a Skills question.
• Complete an Added Value Assignment under
assessment conditions (1 hour and 30 minutes)
to be marked by the SQA.
• Pass the External Exam.(2 hours and 15
minutes)

5. Course Components
Internally marked components.
Students must achieve the required outcomes for each unit.
Marked by class teacher on a basis of pass/fail.
Externally Marked components.
Added Value Assignment.
Marked out of 30 by SQA markers.
Exam.
Marked out of 60 by SQA markers.
Total Marks Available = 90 marks.

6. Higher Modern Studies
Extended Response Writing
Skills
PEEL and PEEREEL

7. PEEL Paragraphs
PEEL paragraphs have formed the basis
of all your written K&U answers in Modern
Studies.
At Higher level written answers need
much more detail but the basic foundation
of a Higher Extended Response is still the
PEEL paragraph.

8. National 5 PEEL Paragraphs
National 5 PEEL paragraphs are made up of 4
sentences:-
POINT – One sentence stating your point
using the words of the question.
EXPLAIN - One sentence explaining what
your point means.
EXAMPLE - A real example or a piece of
evidence to prove your point.
LINK BACK - A summary of your point using
the words of the question.

9. Spot the Difference!
At Higher level we use the same basic PEEL
formula but we add more explanation:-
POINT – One sentence stating your point
using the words of the question.
EXPLAIN - 2 -3 sentences explaining what
your point means.
EXAMPLE - A real example or a piece of
evidence to prove your point.
LINK BACK - A summary of your point using
the words of the question.

10. Extended PEEL Paragraph
A Model Answer.
Explain, in detail the Modern Studies department at Belmont
Academy.
(P) The Modern Studies department at Belmont
Academy is great.
(E) This is because the teachers work hard to ensure that
Modern Studies lessons are interesting and relevant. In
addition to this the department tries to support all learners
with their needs. As a result students enjoy their Modern
Studies lessons and achieve excellent results in the subject.
(E) For example in 2013 students in the department achieved a
98% past rate at Higher which is a brilliant result.
(L) Therefore the Modern Studies Department at Belmont is great.

11. Now you try!
Choose 3 of the following and write and
EXTENDED PEEL paragraph for each.
REMEMBER to aim for 2 -3 sentences of
EXPLANATION.

12. 1) Explain, in detail the variety of shops in
Ayr town centre.
2) Explain, in detail why Scotland is a great
place to live.
3) Explain, in detail why Modern Studies is a
useful subject to study.
4) Explain, in detail the activities for young
people in Ayr.
5) Explain, in detail why Belmont Academy is
a successful school.

13. PEER Marking
You are now going to mark your Peer Partner’s
Paragraphs.
Here are your marking criteria:
1) There are 5 marks available.
2) A relevant POINT that links directly to the
question = 1 mark.
3) 2 – 3 sentences of EXPLANATION = 2 Marks.
4) A relevant REAL EXAMPLE that proves the point =
1 Mark.
5) A summary which LINKS BACK directly to the
point = 1 Mark.

14. Deduct a mark for anything that is
missing.
Return your partner’s work with a MARK
and COMMENT explaining the mark.

15. PEEL to PEEREEL
The main difference between a National 5
answer and a Higher Extended Response is
ANALYSIS.
A National 5 K&U answer is purely
description. At Higher level students are
expected to actually think about the
information and use it to come to
conclusions.
Therefore Higher Extended Responses must
examine both sides of an argument =
ANALYSIS.

16. As a result the PEEL paragraph needs to
be adapted to allow students to examine
both sides of an argument before coming
to a conclusion.
Therefore, the PEEL paragraph becomes a
PEEREEL section.

17. POINT – One sentence stating your point using the words of
the question.
EXPLAIN - 2 -3 sentences explaining what your point means.
EXAMPLE - A real example or a piece of evidence to prove your
point.
REBUTTAL- A counter argument which links to the point but
gives the opposite point of view.
EXPLAIN - 1 -2 sentences explaining what your rebuttal means.
EXAMPLE - A real example or a piece of evidence to prove your
rebuttal point.
LINK BACK - A summary which links your point and rebuttal
back to the question and comes to a clear conclusion

18. PEEREEL – A Model Answer
Question:-
To what extent is Ayr Town Centre a
thriving place?

19. (P) Ayr Town Centre is a thriving place because
of the variety of shops and restaurants it has.
(E) This means that people visiting the town
centre will discover that the High Street and
Ayr Central have a number of the big
chain stores. In addition to this there are
many small independent shops. Shoppers can
also choose from a huge number of coffee
shops and restaurants while they are
visiting the town centre.
(E) For example, in Ayr Central shoppers can visit
Debenhams and River Island as well as Costa
Coffee.

20. (R) However, Ayr Town Centre is not the
thriving place it used to be.
(E) This is because many people choose to shop
in other places which are more
convenient or have a better variety of
shops. This often involves people shopping
outside the town centre.
(E) For example, many people from Ayr
prefer to travel to shopping centres like
Silverburn or Braehead where parking is
easy and there is a good variety of shops.

21. (L) Therefore, it is clear that in some
ways Ayr does have a thriving town
centre. The variety of shops means
that the town centre continues to be
busy. However, the town centre is
not as busy as it used to be because
people now prefer to shop in other
places. Overall, the town centre is
busy but it is not thriving as much as
it could.

22. Now you try!
Choose 2 of the following and write a
PEEREEL section for each.
REMEMBER to add detailed explanation,
and ensure that your rebuttal links
directly to your point.

23. 1) To what extent is Scotland a brilliant
place to live?
2) Belmont Academy is a successful school.
Discuss.
3) To what extent do young people watch too
much TV.
4) There are plenty of activities available
for young people in Ayr. Discuss.
5) The school summer holidays are far too
long. Discuss.

24. Peer Marking
You are now going to mark your Peer Partner’s PEEREEL sections.
Here are your marking criteria:
1) There are 12 marks available.
2) A relevant POINT that links directly to the question = 1 Mark.
3) 2 – 3 sentences of EXPLANATION = 2 Marks.
4) A relevant REAL EXAMPLE that proves the point = 1 Mark.
5) A rebuttal point which counter argues the point = 1 Mark.
6) 1 -2 sentences of EXPLANATION of the rebuttal = 2 Marks.
7) A relevant REAL EXAMPLE that proves the rebuttal = 1 Mark.
8) A summary which links the point and rebuttal back to the
question, and comes to an overall conclusion = 4 Marks.

25. Deduct a mark for anything that is
missing.
Return your partner’s work with a MARK
and COMMENT explaining the mark.

26. Higher Extended Responses
Higher Extended Responses therefore are
made up of PEEREEL sections.
There are 2 types of Higher Extended
Responses.
The first type of Extended Response is
worth a total of 12 Marks = 2 PEEREELS
with an overall conclusion.
The second type of Extended Response is
worth a total of 20 Marks = 4 PEEREELS
with an overall conclusion.

27. Let’s try it!
Choose one of the following topics and write 2 PEEREEL
sections:
1) The driving age should be reduced to 16. Discuss.
2) Analyse the view that alcohol is bad for young people.
3) To what extent are mobile phones a good thing?
4) Analyse the view that school should be compulsory to age
18.
5) The internet is brilliant. Discuss.
Get your work marked by your teacher.
Now try a second question.

28. Higher Modern Studies
How to write an Extended
Response

29. The Exam
The Higher Exam will last for 2
Hours and 15 Minutes
In this time students will be
expected to answer a total of 5
questions.

30. This will include 3 Extended Response
Questions:
2 x 12 Mark Questions
And
1 x 20 Mark Question
The other 2 Questions will be Skills
based:
Conclusions
Objectivity (Selective with the Facts)

31. Types of Extended Response
Question
1. Analyse ..............(12 Marks)
2. Evaluate .............(12 Marks)
3. To What Extent ....(20 Marks)
4. Discuss ..............(20 Marks)

32. Analyse
You must explain a given issue
Analyse the links between arguments for and
against the view
Support all points with evidence or statistics
Come to an overall conclusion which
identifies consequences or implications

33. Evaluate
Explain clearly what has been done to tackle the
given issue
Evaluate what effects these policies have had
Have the actions :-
Helped a lot give evidence
Helped a little give evidence
Achieved nothing give evidence
Caused damage give evidence
Come to an overall conclusion

34. Discuss
You are given a statement on an issue
You must study it and look for arguments
for and against the point that the
statement is making
You must also bring in evidence,facts and
figures for both sides of the argument
Finally you must come to a clear
conclusion

35. To What Extent
Again you must explain and comment on
arguments for and against a viewpoint
You must use evidence to back up each
point that you make
Your overall conclusion must comment on
how far the evidence supports or opposes
the statement

36. Overall :-
However the question is worded, you
are basically being asked to:-
 give arguments for and against
 explain them in detail
 give evidence to prove each argument
 come to a clear conclusion

37. To do this you should always use the
following formula :-
PEEREEL
P make your point
E explain your point in detail
E give evidence to back up your point
R give a counter argument
E explain your counter argument in detail
E give evidence to back up your counter
argument
L make a conclusion that Links back to the
question